As wireless technology continues to evolve, the number of wireless-enabled devices in the marketplace continues to expand. Not only are devices emerging that are primarily tasked with wireless communication (e.g., cellular handsets, smartphones, etc.), but also applications that did not previously include any form of communication functionality are becoming able to interact wirelessly. For example, vehicles, appliances, heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems, thermostats, manufacturing equipment, security systems, street signs etc. may all be configured to interact wirelessly, with other wireless applications being devised daily.
While the benefits of communication functionality associated with wireless devices may be apparent, an unintended consequence of this wireless explosion is the large amount of traffic that has been created. Wireless communication bandwidth may generally be divided into two categories: regulated spectrum and unregulated spectrum. Regulated spectrum may be reserved for government services (e.g., police, fire, etc.) or licensed to a wireless service provider for use exclusively by their subscribers. Unregulated spectrum may be used by anyone and is typically limited to short-range wireless communication mediums (e.g., Bluetooth, wireless local area networking (WLAN), etc.) in relatively “noisy” bandwidths. It might seem logical that designers would want to use unregulated spectrum whenever possible due to availability, cost savings, etc. While unregulated spectrum may be attractive for some uses, the limitations on its use (e.g., only for short-range wireless communication), interference caused by other signal sources operating in the same spectrum, etc. do not allow it to be a direct replacement for regulated spectrum.
On the other hand, the amount of regulated spectrum is very limited. Emerging systems that seek to maximize utilization for regulated spectrum by sharing access amongst a plurality of users face many challenges. For example, some systems may allow an owner of spectrum (e.g., a governmental entity) to lease their bandwidth to another party (e.g., a mobile operator) based on a limited agreement. However, there may be instances where there is an immediate need on the part of the owner to reclaim the leased bandwidth, such as the occurrence of an emergency or another change in the status of the owner of the spectrum.
Although the following Detailed Description will proceed with reference being made to illustrative embodiments, many alternatives, modifications and variations thereof will be apparent to those skilled in the art.